Coldplay and Stone Roses at Sydney Opera House; 2016’s top-10 gigs

Stone Roses and Coldplay shared the bill at Sydney Opera House this week, and everyone, it seemed, was mad for it.

The Stone Roses on stage at the Sydney Opera House this week.

Usually by this time of year one is able to slide — and I use the term advisedly — into the murky depths of office parties, end-of-year backslapping and cocktails by the pool, but it has been a busy December on the touring circuit in Australia. This week was full to the brim — in Sydney at least — and SD was fortunate to be present at a few of the shows. Apparently Coldplay were in attendance when the Stone Roses, grand
pooh-bahs of the Madchester scene all those years ago, played the first of their three shows (and only Australian dates) at Sydney Opera House on Monday night. As singer Chris Martin pointed out at his own band’s gig the following evening at Alliance Stadium, there was something heartwarming about being in the hallowed environment of the Opera House Concert Hall where everyone, it seemed, was mad for it. I haven’t seen that kind of love in the room since Sunnyboys graced the same stage a few years back. Roses classics such as Fools Gold, She Bangs the Drums and I Wanna Be Adored were greeted with unanimous vocal support from the floor. There was a lot of singing going on in the bleachers at Alliance as well, some of it under Martin’s instructions as he did 100m sprints up and down the central runway. In the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll greatness Coldplay now stand tall as a band that leaves nothing to chance. Fireworks, synchronised flashing wristbands, giant balloons and well-choreographed video accompaniment all add to the spectacle, but all would be for nothing if there weren’t a plethora of pop anthems to back them up. Keith Urban has plenty of pop nous at his disposal too. Indeed his show on Wednesday, the inaugural performance at Sydney’s new entertainment centre, the ICC, bore very little resemblance to a country show, even if that is the genre in which he operates. Blues, pop and rock ’n’ roll overshadowed the twang factor, in a good way.

While we’re on the topic of live performances, last week I outlined some of the best tours and festivals coming our way over the next three months; to balance that out I’d like to list my top 10 shows of 2016. It wasn’t an easy exercise. It has been a great year of live music, performed by our own artists and a great many from overseas. The next 12 months is shaping up the same way. Anyway, here are my choices, all of them in Sydney unless stated. Beg to differ, by all means.

1. Glen Hansard

2. Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings

3. Dave Rawlings Machine

4. Crowded House

5. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizzard (Splendour in the Grass)

6. Jake Bugg

7. Bon Iver

8. Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn

9. New Order with the ACO

10. Stone Roses

Most bizarre album release of the week goes to Baby Roxers (The Lullaby Hits, Vol 1). The brainchild of Australian producer Adam Alexander, the album reimagines Roxette’s greatest hits as lullaby instrumentals. It’s no surprise that Alexander is a parent and long-term fan of the Swedish duo. “It’s my hope that this record can be something a little more personal for Roxette fans, who are now becoming parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles,” he says.